cuts, let president obama veto that extension, then vote a middle class tax cut and let the top bracket expire, and then republicans can say look, we didn't really break our pledge. taxes were going to go up across the board. we did what we could do and the president wouldn't let us do more. but i also think that president obama sees a real percentage for him in getting republicans to cross the line of agreeing to a rate increase. and that's why i think he's pushing so hard on this. i think most economists would agree that there is often more advantages in capping deductions than in just going for the rates, but i think there's a real political advantage for democrats looking ahead to battle after battle that we'll face down the road in getting republicans to cross that red line. it's sort of a scout, you might say. >> thank you both very much. >>> the united states opposed today's u.n. vote on the palestinian observer state. senator bob menendez saying it could inflame passions throughout the region. welcome to you, senator. >> good to be with you. >> explain to me why you feel so stro